3 College Campuses Receive Threats

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The University of Texas says all university buildings have been cleared and are reopening after a bomb threat prompted an evacuation of the Austin campus.

The university posted on its website that all classes have been canceled for the remainder of the day Friday, but other university activities will resume by 5 p.m.

The school had issued and alert shortly before 10 a.m. Friday telling people to immediately evacuate all campus buildings and "get as far away as possible" after the school received a phoned-in bomb threat.

Valparaiso University in Indiana has increased security and posted a warning to students on its website after receiving a vague threat through some graffiti.

The school says the threat claimed "dangerous and criminal activity" would occur on campus during the university's daily chapel break on Friday. The message provided no details.

The school says the FBI and local authorities searched the campus but found nothing suspicious.

University spokeswoman Nicole Niemi says classes and other regular activities are continuing as planned.

The university tweeted that Valparaiso did not receive a bomb threat as schools in Texas and North Dakota did. Valparaiso called its situation "substantially different."

Indiana Homeland Security spokesman John Erickson declined to say whether any other Indiana schools had issued similar alerts.

North Dakota State University has also lifted its evacuation order.

The university ordered all students and employees to leave campus Monday morning after it received a bomb threat.

The university says is will reopen campus at 1 p.m. CDT and classes will resume at 2 p.m. It says university police will spend the next hour unlocking university buildings.

The evacuation order at NDSU came about the same time as one at The University of Texas at Austin, where officials also say they received a bomb threat. FBI spokesman Kyle Loven says the agency is trying to determine if the two threats were related.

More than 14,000 students are enrolled at NDSU. The university cleared its main and downtown campuses following the threat, along with all of its agricultural facilities.

There have been no reports of threats to any SUNY campus according to Governor Cuomo's office, but they are monitoring the situation.

"While there are no reports of any threats on SUNY or private campuses in New York State, the safety of our students and the security of our campuses is our top priority.

"In response to reports of bomb threats at college campuses in other areas of the country, I have directed Director of State Operations Howard Glaser, Commissioner of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Jerry Hauer, and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher to coordinate and monitor this situation and be prepared should there be any reports of similar threats at campuses in New York State.

"SUNY campuses have been alerted to the threats happening nationally and are following standard procedures to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty, and our campus communities. I encourage all students, faculty and New Yorkers to remain vigilant and to contact local law enforcement in case of an emergency."